Vehicular control device

Abstract

In a vehicular control device, an operating intention detection unit is disposed on a tire or wheel rim of a vehicle to detect an operating intention of a user relative to an opening/closing body of the vehicle. An operating intention acquisition unit is disposed on the vehicle body of the vehicle to acquire the operating intention. An ID code acquisition unit acquires, from a mobile device carried by the user, an ID code that identifies the user or the mobile device. An ID code determination unit determines whether the ID code is correct. The condition establishment determination unit determines, based on the operating intention of the user and on the result of ID code determination, whether an output condition for outputting operating instruction information that designates an operation of the opening/closing body is established. An output unit outputs the operating instruction information when the output conditions are established.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicular control device comprising:
 an operating intention detection unit that is disposed on a tire or wheel rim of a vehicle and detects an operating intention of a user relative to an opening/closing body that is attached to the vehicle to open and close in a predefined manner; 
 an operating intention acquisition unit that is disposed on a vehicle body of the vehicle and acquires the operating intention; 
 an ID code acquisition unit that is disposed on the vehicle body of the vehicle and acquires, from a mobile device carried by the user, an ID code that identifies the user or the mobile device; 
 an ID code determination unit that is disposed on the vehicle body of the vehicle and determines whether the ID code is correct; 
 a condition establishment determination unit that is disposed on the vehicle body of the vehicle and determines, based on the operating intention of the user and on the result of ID code determination, whether an output condition for outputting operating instruction information that designates an operation of the opening/closing body is established; and 
 an output unit that is disposed on the vehicle body of the vehicle and outputs the operating instruction information when the output condition is established, wherein 
 the operating intension detection unit includes: 
 a vibration detection element that detects a vibration of the tire; 
 a signal processing circuit that processes a signal output from the vibration detection element; and 
 an operating mode switching unit that switches the signal processing circuit to a regular operating mode when an output of the vibration detection element exceeds a predetermined value, and switches the signal processing circuit to a power-saving mode in which a power consumption is lower than in the regular operating mode when the output of the vibration detection element is lower than the predetermined value for a predetermined period of time and no processing is performed by the signal processing circuit, 
 wherein the operating intention detection unit measures, in advance, a length of time, an amplitude, and a high-frequency component of a vibration section output from the vibration detection unit when the tire or the wheel rim is vibrated by the user, 
 wherein the operation intention detection unit includes a storage unit that stores measurement results of the length of time, the amplitude and the high-frequency component of the vibration section as a reference range or a reference value, and 
 wherein the signal processing circuit determines that the vibration of the tire is caused by the user when the output of the vibration detection element is in agreement with the reference value or within the reference range. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicular control device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vehicle status acquisition unit that acquires a status of the vehicle, 
 wherein the condition establishment determination unit makes a determination when the vehicle is in a predefined state. 
 
     
     
       3. The vehicular control device according to  claim 2 , wherein the condition establishment determination unit makes a determination when the vehicle is parked. 
     
     
       4. The vehicular control device according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a position determination unit that determines a position of the mobile device; 
 wherein the condition establishment determination unit makes a determination when the mobile device does not exist in the interior of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       5. The vehicular control device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a selection unit that selects, based on the detected operating intention, an opening/closing body whose operation is to be designated. 
 
     
     
       6. The vehicular control device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a position determination unit that determines a position of the mobile device; and 
 a selection unit that selects, based on the position of the mobile device, an opening/closing body whose operation is to be designated. 
 
     
     
       7. The vehicular control device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a first state and a second state are predefined for the opening/closing body, the second state being different from the first state; and 
 wherein the operating instruction information includes an instruction for cyclically switching between the first state and the second state. 
 
     
     
       8. The vehicular control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the opening/closing body includes at least one of a door, a door lock device, a window, and a side mirror. 
     
     
       9. A vehicular control device comprising:
 an operating intention detection unit that is disposed on a tire or wheel rim of a vehicle and detects an operating intention of a user relative to an opening/closing body that is attached to the vehicle to open and close in a predefined manner; 
 an operating intention acquisition unit that is disposed on a vehicle body of the vehicle and acquires the operating intention; 
 an ID code acquisition unit that is disposed on the vehicle body of the vehicle and acquires, from a mobile device carried by the user, an ID code that identifies the user or the mobile device; 
 an ID code determination unit that is disposed on the vehicle body of the vehicle and determines whether the ID code is correct; 
 a condition establishment determination unit that is disposed on the vehicle body of the vehicle and determines, based on the operating intention of the user and on the result of ID code determination, whether an output condition for outputting operating instruction information that designates an operation of the opening/closing body is established; and 
 an output unit that is disposed on the vehicle body of the vehicle and outputs the operating instruction information when the output condition is established, wherein 
 the operating intension detection unit includes: 
 a vibration detection element that detects a vibration of the tire; 
 a signal processing circuit that processes a signal output from the vibration detection element; and 
 an operating mode switching unit that switches the signal processing circuit to a regular operating mode when an output of the vibration detection element exceeds a predetermined value, and switches the signal processing circuit to a power-saving mode in which a power consumption is lower than in the regular operating mode when the output of the vibration detection element is lower than the predetermined value for a predetermined period of time and no processing is performed by the signal processing circuit, 
 wherein the ID code acquisition unit and the ID code determination unit respectively serve as an ID code reception unit and a collation unit of a smart system, the smart system including: a polling signal output unit, which wirelessly outputs a polling signal for polling the mobile device; the ID code reception unit, which receives an ID code transmitted from the mobile device on the basis of the reception of the polling signal; the collation unit, which collates the received ID code with a master code stored in the collation unit; and an operation permission unit, which permits a predetermined operation on the basis of the result of collation.